Crocodylus Intermedius Graves 1819) in the Orinoco Basin of Colombia and Venezuela Biota Colombiana, Vol
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Biota Colombiana ISSN: 0124-5376 [email protected] Instituto de Investigación de Recursos Biológicos "Alexander von Humboldt" Colombia Morales-Betancourt, Mónica A.; Lasso, Carlos A.; Bello, Laura C.; de Paula Gutiérrez, Francisco Potential distribution of the Orinoco crocodile (Crocodylus intermedius Graves 1819) in the Orinoco basin of Colombia and Venezuela Biota Colombiana, vol. 15, núm. 1, 2014, pp. 124-136 Instituto de Investigación de Recursos Biológicos "Alexander von Humboldt" Bogotá, Colombia Available in: http://www.redalyc.org/articulo.oa?id=49140739009 How to cite Complete issue Scientific Information System More information about this article Network of Scientific Journals from Latin America, the Caribbean, Spain and Portugal Journal's homepage in redalyc.org Non-profit academic project, developed under the open access initiative Potential distribution of the Orinoco crocodile (Crocodylus intermedius Graves 1819) in the Orinoco basin of Colombia and Venezuela Distribución potencial del caimán del Orinoco (Crocodylus intermedius Graves 1819) en la Orinoquia colombiana y venezolana Mónica A. Morales-Betancourt, Carlos A. Lasso, Laura C. Bello & Francisco de Paula Gu- tiérrez Abstract Crocodylus intermedius (Graves 1819), commonly known at the Orinoco Crocodile, is an endemic species of the Orinoco River Basin that occurs in Colombia and Venezuela. Within the Neotropical Crocodylia, it is considered the most endangered species, listed as Critically Endangered. The use of potential distribution models is an important tool in biogeographical analysis for the conservation of rare and endangered species threatened with extinction. For this reason in this study we determined the potential distribution range for the Orinoco Crocodile using the maximum entropy model Maxent. Initial data to calculate potential range included 654 records of known occurrence for this species, 20 environmental and one limnological variable. The distribution of the Orinoco Crocodile was found to be correlated with precipitation climate variables and the type of water (white, clear or black). Key words. Orinoco River Basin. Crocodylus intermedius. Water type. Endangered species. Conservation. Resumen Crocodylus intermedius (Graves 1819) comúnmente denominado caimán llanero o caimán del Orinoco, es una especie endémica de la cuenca del Orinoco, con distribución en Colombia y Venezuela. Dentro de los Crocodylia del Neotrópico, es considerada la especie más amenazada y se encuentra en la categoría de Peligro Crítico. El uso de modelos de distribución potencial en el análisis biogeográfico es una herramienta importante para la conservación de especies raras o en peligro de extinción. Es por ello que en este trabajo se buscó determinar la distribución potencial del caimán llanero mediante el uso del algoritmo de maximización de la entropía, Maxent. Como información de entrada se utilizaron 654 registros de presencia de la especie y 20 variables ambientales incluyendo una limnológica. Se concluye que la distribución del caimán llanero está relacionada con la precipitación y con el tipo de aguas (blancas, claras y negras) presentes en la cuenca. Palabras clave. Cuenca del río Orinoco. Crocodylus intermedius. Tipos de aguas. Especie amenazada. Conservación. 124 Biota Colombiana 15 - Suplemento 1 - 2014 Biota Colombiana 15 - Suplemento 1 - 2014 125 Morales-Betancourt et al. Potential distribution of the Orinoco crocodile (Crocodylus intermedius Graves 1819) in the Orinoco basin of Colombia and Venezuela Introduction Crocodylus intermedius (Graves 1819) is a critically in Venezuela (GECV) published an Action Plan: endangered species endemic to the Orinoco River Survival of the Orinoco Crocodile in Venezuela 1994 Basin in Colombia and Venezuela (http://www. -1999 (FUDENA 1993), and in 1994 the Ministerio iucnredlist.org/). Its critical status is due principally del Ambiente published a Strategic Plan: Survival of to extreme overharvest of their populations during the the Orinoco Crocodile in Venezuela (Profauna 1994). first half of the twentieth century (Medem 1981). More recently in 2007 the National Strategy for the Conservation of the Orinoco Crocodile in Venezuela In the two countries where C. intermedius occurs, and Action Plan was updated and published (GECV different conservation actions have been taken. 2007). Hunting and egg collection were prohibited in Colombia by Resolution Nº 411 enacted by the Breaking a world record for reintroductions of this Ministry of Agriculture in 1968. In 1997 the species kind, from 1990 to 2010 more than 7600 Orinoco was declared to be critically endangered in Resolution Crocodiles were released into the wild in Venezuela 676 and in 1998 the Ministerio del Medio Ambiente, (Seijas 2011). Studies in situ have shown that a the Instituto de Investigación de Recursos Biológicos new population with at least 400 subadult and adult Alexander von Humboldt (IAvH) and the Universidad individuals has been established in the Caño Guaritico Nacional de Colombia-Unal, formulated the National Refuge, in the section that is part of Hato El Frío in Conservation Plan for the Orinoco Crocodile the state of Apure, which throughout the world is (Procaimán). Their principal objective was to “prevent considered to be a remarkable success, especially the extinction of the species and promote its recovery, considering that for the first time a stable crocodile to thus contribute to their conservation and integration population has become established based exclusively into regional economic and cultural systems” (MMA on specimens raised in captivity (Antelo 2008). et al. 1998). Within the framework of that plan various projects and activities have been carried out, mainly These in situ conservation projects of the Orinoco by the Tropical Biological Station “Roberto Franco”. Crocodile in Venezuela have generated fruitful local These initiatives have been focused on ex situ results, and so could serve as examples to be replicated conservation, so today development of in situ projects in habitats where crocodiles might be reintroduced, or are a top priority in Colombia. where extant populations need reinforcement. To be able to do that successfully it is essential to know the Meanwhile in Venezuela, the first legal actions to potential distribution of the species, which because it conserve C. intermedius - given the evidence that continues to be critically endangered, is today absent indicated extremely reduced population numbers from much of its original natural range. It should be - were taken in the 70’s of the last century. First, possible to return the Orinoco Crocodile to regions hunting was prohibited (as it was for many other where it is currently locally extinct, recovering at species) by a decree issued on April 4, 1973, a least part of its previous natural distribution and decision later ratified by presidential resolution in contributing to the reestablishment of populations that 1979 (Seijas 2011). Diverse conservation strategies could restore equilibrium in aquatic ecosystems where were then implemented, including a captive breeding it has been extirpated. program that started in the mid 80’s. In addition, the Caño Guaritico Wildlife Refuge, Fishing Reserve and For this purpose, species distribution modelling tools Protection Zone was created by decree Nº 2702 of (MDE) are especially useful. These tools are based, 1989. This protected area was used as a pilot project either explicitly or implicitly, on the ecological for the reintroduction into natural systems of Orinoco niche concept of Hutchinson (1957) and take into crocodiles raised in captivity. Since 1990, the release account climate and geomorphologic parameters of captive-raised animals has become routine in that determine the niche of each species (Martínez- several sites of the Venezuelan Llanos (Seijas 2011). Meyer 2005). The delimitation of the niche for each Furthermore, in 1993 the Crocodile Specialist Group species is created using geographic overlays that plot 124 Biota Colombiana 15 - Suplemento 1 - 2014 Biota Colombiana 15 - Suplemento 1 - 2014 125 Potential distribution of the Orinoco crocodile (Crocodylus intermedius Graves 1819) Morales-Betancourt et al. in the Orinoco basin of Colombia and Venezuela the records of species occurrence in multidimensional In this report our objective is to generate information environmental space using climate and geographic about the potential distribution of the Orinoco layers available in geographic information systems Crocodile that will be useful to the efforts for its (GIS). Starting there, the different MDE methods use conservation, especially with regard to possible areas different rules and mathematical algorithms to define where reintroduction could be successful, or where niche boundaries for each species. Once an abstract reduced populations need reinforcement. niche definition is obtained, dots from occurrence records are projected into geographic space to produce a predictive map of potential distribution (Tsoar et al. Materials y methods 2007). Study area These models have been widely used to determine The Orinoco River Basin is a binational drainage shared places of particular interest for conservation, sites between Venezuela (65 %) and Colombia (35 %), with where species can be reintroduced (Martínez-Meyer a total surface area of 991,587 km2, of which 347,165 et al. 2006), sites where future exploration is required km2 are in Colombian territory (Domínguez 1998) (Pearson et al. 2007) and are currently